Durston announced on August 31, 2007, that he would run a second time against Lungren in CD 3.

Author Norman Solomon described Dr. Durston as “the most progressive candidate in the country.” (Go to the Durston for Congress website at www.durstonforcongress.org and check out Bill’s background, his positions on the issues, his articles and speeches, his debates with Lungren, and the song he wrote, “War is Not a Game,” for more information.)

Dr. Durston built on his support and experience from the 2006 campaign to build a very credible challenge to Lungren in 2008.

On September 19, 2008, the California Secretary of State Office released data showing that the Republican advantage in voter registration in CD3 had slipped from 7% in 2006 to 3.6% in 2008. Additional data released just prior to the election showed the Republican advantage down to 2.2%.

The Durston campaign used most of its cash on hand to run powerful TV ads during the last two weeks of September, 2008, and to commission a poll by the respected polling firm, Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, and Associates.The Durston campaign reasoned that a poll showing that Durston was competitive would bring in money from the Democratic Party.

The Fairbank poll of 500 likely voters, conducted from October 4-6, 2008, showed Durston was within 3 percentage points of Lungren, with a margin of error of 4%. The Durston campaign published a press release on October 7, 2008, with the results of the poll showing that he was in a virtual dead heat with Lungren, and the campaign repeatedly contacted representatives of the state and national Democratic parties.

The Durston for Congress campaign received no support whatsoever from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) in either the 2006 or 2008 campaigns. The only support that the Durston for Congress campaign received from the California Democratic Committee was a check for $2,100 which the campaign received November 3, 2008, the day before the election.

The Durston for Congress campaign did receive support from some state and local Democratic leaders. Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi publicly endorsed Bill, made a personal contribution to the campaign, participated in two press conferences, and gave useful advice to the campaign. Rep. Lynn Woolsey endorsed Bill and contributed $2,000 to the campaign. Rep. Barbara Lee contributed $1,000 late in the campaign but did not publicly endorse Bill. State Assemblyman and Senator-elect, Mark Leno, endorsed Bill and made significant personal contributions to his campaign.
Rep. Earl Pomeroy of North Dakota, the brother in law of Jean Pomeroy, a local Durston for Congress supporter, was Bill’s greatest advocate with the DCCC. Other state and national Democratic leaders who endorsed Bill included Rep. Lois Capps, State Controller John Chiang, State Assemblyman Jared Huffman, State Assemblyman Dave Jones, State Senator Sheila Kuehl, State Treasurer Bill Lockyer, State Senator Mike Machado, State Senator Darrell Steinberg, and State Assemblywoman Lois Wolk. Democratic Representatives Doris Matsui, Mike Thompson, and Jerry McNerney in districts adjoining CD 3 did not publicly endorse Dr. Bill Durston for Congress.

Comparing State and National Support for other Sacramento Area Campaigns with the Lack of Support for the Durston Campaign

Dr. Durston made it clear that he did not want his campaign to detract from the chances of other good Democratic candidates getting elected, including state assembly candidate Allyson Huber, in the overlapping 10th Assembly District, and congressional candidate Charlie Brown, in the adjacent 4th Congressional District. Durston communicated frequently with Huber, with whom he shared an office, and with Brown, both of whom he regards as personal friends.

Dr. Durston’s altruism notwithstanding, the difference in state and national Democratic support for Huber and Brown as compared with the lack of support for Durston was striking. The State Democratic Party committed substantial amounts of money and manpower to help Huber. Voters reported receiving as many as 10 different mailers from the Huber campaign on a single day. An official Democratic Party mailer sent to voters in the Elk Grove area failed to even list Durston as the Democratic candidate for Congress.

Both the state and national Democratic parties committed substantial amounts of money and manpower to the Brown campaign, in the highly Republican 4th CD.

Both the Huber and Brown races currently remain too close to call, with their Republican opponents slightly ahead in recounts.

Neither Huber nor Brown come close to Durston in terms of progressive credentials or positions. According to the October 15 report from OpenSecrets.org, the Durston campaign raised $556,819, with only 4% coming from PAC’s, 81% coming from individual contributions, and 14% ($77,264) coming from Bill and his wife.

Questions Raised and Directions for the Future

The striking lack of state and national Democratic Party support for the Durston for Congress race, despite an outstanding candidate in a competitive race, raises important questions:

• Was Dr. Durston merely overlooked by the state and national Democratic parties, or, because of his progressive credentials and positions was he unwelcome in the delegation and the Democratic Caucus?

• Now that it has been demonstrated that Lungren is vulnerable in the 3rd CD, will the Democratic Party put up a “centrist” candidate to run against Durston in the 2010 Democratic primary, similar to the approach it took against McNerney in the 2006 primary?

Suggested actions to ensure that Dr. Durston will get the support he needs and deserves to be victorious in 2010, and that the progressive message he represents will be heard by not only the voters, but also by the state and national Democratic party leaders:

• Contribute now to the Durston for Congress campaign via the Durston for Congress website (www.durstonforcongress.org)

• Contact state and national Democratic party leaders and demand that they give Dr. Durston the support he deserves

• Contact fellow progressives and make them aware of the Durston for Congress campaign

• Contact the leadership of the Progressive Caucus and ask them to launch a full scale investigation of Lungren’s ethical lapse in taking a luxury vacation to Hawaii paid for by special interests, despite House rules specifically intended to prohibit such trips.

• Contact Democratic representatives of districts contiguous with CA-03 and ask them to show some political courage themselves in publicly endorsing Dr. Bill Durston for Congress and in giving him financial assistance.

• Contact Speaker Nancy Pelosi and ask her to not only endorse Dr. Bill Durston for Congress, but to send him the money that she helped raise for Rep. Doris Matsui, a perennial shoo-in in the highly Democratic 5th CD, when Pelosi attended a fundraiser for Matsui in Bill’s district.

The Bottom Line

Don’t let a great progressive candidate get hung out to dry again by the state and national Democratic parties. Progressives Unite! Support Dr. Bill Durston for Congress!

Mayme Hubert is the founder of Take Back Red California and is the Secretary of the Progressive Caucus of the California Democratic Party.